Hi All,
:P
We have a house rabbit named Elvis who lives in the kitchen in a cage which is around 3ft long. He is in there in the daytime (for the time being as we have only had him 2months) and has free run around the flat when we get back from work. Eventually he will have free run of the kitchen in the daytime. He is completely house trained and only chews at newspapers and magazines! (i think we`ve been luck so far!!!) He has plenty of toys scattered around the lounge aswell as a cat bed which he dozes in of an evening. In other words...hes spoilt rotten!!!
We want to get a female friend for him as he spends most days on his own while my partner and I are out at work. He is a 6mth old neutered mini lop. Is his cage big enough to house two mini lops bearing in mind that they will have free run of the kitchen in the day time and have free run of the flat in the evening? Or is it best to get a smaller breed such as a lionhead or a netherland dwarf?
Another question....do we have to get another cage to house the the bun while they are bonding or can we put her in Elvis' cage and leave him free in the living room until they are settled together?

Any help would be most appreciated!!!

Thanks!!

Dasonix

07-02-2005, 01:52 PM

Hi there and welcome.

There may be a few that dissagree but I would say that a larger home is needed if you what to get another bunny, 3 foot isnt really big enough for more than 1 rabbit.

We had the same problem when we got our second bunny. When suki was a baby it wasnt really that bad but once she started growing, I built a new hutch, for the both of them.

Is 3ft still too small if they have the run of the kitchen in the daytime aswell? Its a fair space for them to run around in!

Or, do i need to get a smaller bun (ie a Netherland Dwarf) to go with Elvis?

(Sorry for all the questions but as you can all tell, im new to this!!!)

:bunny:

Dasonix

07-02-2005, 02:16 PM

it all depends on the size of the bun's, if they are dwarf breeds you might be ok for a bit, but you may have to plan now for getting a larger hutch in a few months if it starts to look like they are a bit cramped.

Our buns have full access to the whole house ( exept for at night ) but as ours are so active we thoguht it better to get them a hutch that they could move around in. As with humans rabbits like to have a bit of time out to think ( ours go up to our bedroom for peace and quiet ).

Sorry I cant give a yes / no as it really depends on the size of the bunny's, how well they get on and how much of the time they will be under hutch arrest ( eg you aint gonna want them about under your feet while cooking etc.)

bunnylove

07-02-2005, 02:31 PM

hi there personally i would also say that size hutch would be to small for two buns of any size. even if they have the complete run of a kitchen, i have one house rabbit with free access to the house all day, but at night hes in his cage (for his own safety, wires ect..) 3 foot is just enough room for him.

if you were to get another i would recomended you get the biggest hutch you can, and let her have that, until they are bonded, bondings are very rarely immediate, so she will need somewhere to stay., and then when they are finally bonded they can live together in the bigger of the cages.

eve x

bluebunny

07-02-2005, 07:54 PM

Thanks for your help!!

Is 3ft still too small if they have the run of the kitchen in the daytime aswell? Its a fair space for them to run around in!

Or, do i need to get a smaller bun (ie a Netherland Dwarf) to go with Elvis?

(Sorry for all the questions but as you can all tell, im new to this!!!)

:bunny:
Would they be shut in the cage?
if not and the cage was used just to house food and litter trays it should be fine but nowhere near big enough for one bun to be shut in so too small for two

Toby

07-02-2005, 08:01 PM

Well when i get a second bun i am going to find the largest dog cage you can buy (I think they are over £100) bran new but you can get them cheaper on ebay. I know these are defiantly big enough for 2 buns as you can fit two of me in one of them - of course it also depends on the breed of your rabbit.

I has actually been quoted to me once that some rabbits prefer smaller spaces – but I am talking more about very nervous and old buns here.

So I would say have a look at the large dog cages you can buy, maybe have a look at puppy pens too. I am buying a puppy so I could not let my buns have the run of the house. :)

BinkyBun

07-02-2005, 10:16 PM

I keep Darcy in a dog pen in my kitchen. Its big enough for him to have a play in and stretch out in various positions :!: :D and his large litter tray and foodies. As soon as I'm home from work he is out all night and not put back in the pen until I go out again. I think a dog pen is a nicer way to keep buns especially the larger breeds. :D :wink:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :D

Tamsin

07-02-2005, 11:07 PM

Yep, even a mini lop will do a far bit of growing from baby to adult. So although he might fit now when he grows into his feet it will be too small. Bunnies (house bunnies in particular) often sleep stretched out, if you haven't seen the pose already it usually involves legs stretched and either lying on the side or belly. Its amazing how long a bunny can be!

A good rule for a minimum cage size is a bun stretched out like that four times in a row for length and one and a half for width, for height your bun stood on its back legs without its ears hitting the roof. In human measurements thats usually 5'x2'x2'.

Rabbits are often very active at night so thats why you need a larger cage than you might expect even if your bun spends all day with lots of extra space.

I'm sure he's love a friend. You can have any of the breeds you have mentioned. A female would be the best option as they are easiest to bond with males. For introductions you need some neutral space (e.g. a bathroom) and you'll probably need a spare cage too as they usually have short meetings over several days.

As mentioned, dog crates are good, they come in large sizes and fold flat for storage.

The breeds you mentioned all need about the same amount of space, there isn't that much size difference and smaller breeds are often quite active so need lots of room to jump/play.

Tamsin

Sweetie

08-02-2005, 09:30 AM

Hi All :P

Thanks for all the feed back on this one. As you can probably tell, im new to all this!!

Ive been in touch with the local rspca about my little dilema and they have said that as the cage is only for food, water and the litter tray it is an ok size for the time being. Elvis has a rather large cat bed that he choses to sleep in so hopefully our new bun will take after him!!
We are hoping to adopt Cocoa from the Rabbit Rehome site, shes currently being fostered in Redditch which is only down the road from us so all being well (subject to a home check....) we should have her with us very soon!

Thanks again for all your help!!!! I know where to come if i have any more problems!